Monday, September 17, 2012

Classroom Hand Signals

I always love trying new things in the classroom, especially when it comes to behaviors and procedures. That is my "weakest link", so it's no wonder I'm always looking for the panacea that will forever solve my problems.

What I'm going to share with you didn't solve all my problems. It really is a cool system, though. I don't know how jiggy it would work with first graders, although I wish I had known about it when I taught my firsties. It works fantabuously with my Fab 4's!

Hand Signals.

Darn. I just realized how blurry this photo is. We'll just have to deal until I can shoot a better one.

My favorite of all the hand signals is the #1. How many times have you been interrupted by a wildly waving hand, and instead of the stellar thoughts you expect you get the "I have to go to the bathroom". Now I see that #1 sticking up and I know what it's all about. I can give a quick side whisper "You can go in 2 minutes, as soon as I'm done explaining the assignment". It's a beautiful thing.

By the way, the #1 is in no way a reference to "#1", if you know what I mean. But it does help me remember what that signal means.

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Do you walk, fly or swim?

I am a fourth grade teacher, loving the change after four years as a first grade teacher. I love firsties, but I am having a ball with my Fab 4s! I am an idea junkie, a Pinterest addict, and techie geek. I make a lot of mistakes and love to learn. Teaching is my heart. I love glitter, i-anything, green things that grow, the smell of my daughters' hair, Dansko's and All Stars.